BC Looking To Be A Buyer Come Deadline Time

Interesting .... besides the obviously commodity in Jose (assuming he's healthy and team looking for a decent PG), who else do you think if a feasible option in trading away come deadline time when we're looking to improve this current team?

We're talking to a few teams to see if there's anything we can do to improve our basketball club, said Colangelo. We've never sat back and been comfortable. We're always going to compete and improve our levels of competition.

I'm talking about not only a tweak, but in a big deal, we're going to be a buyer, not a seller.

Like Burke, Colangelo is no stranger to big moves. He brought in nine new players prior to the start of the year in an effort to improve upon last season's dismal 33-49 showing. When the results weren't positive early in the season, fans started to worry.

It wasn't just the fans that were worried about the slow start, said Colangelo. We all were. But we kind of knew it was coming ... with so much change, those effects are going to happen.

We had a (tough early) schedule ... it wasn't an excuse, it was a reality. We had the fact that everyone had to acclimate, including the coaching staff, to all the new bodies. But we seem to have found a nice balance. We're competing night in and night out.

Wow BC's talk of late about him looking to possibly make a big trade has got me excited man! Another feasible trading chip would have to be Belli for me. Dude has been frustratingly inconsistent this season-and with his unorthodox shooting style, I don't ever see him being a reliable, consistent 15+ ppg scorer off the bench for us. Maybe BC can throw him in a trade scenario with Ocho for Iggy?

Seeing as I come from the school of "give me good defense over good offense any day", I would hope BC is looking to add a SG or SF who will provide good defensive presence. I am not a fan of him bringing in guys like Kevin martin or similar players-the raps don't need more O, they need more D! I said this in another thread, if BC can figure out a way to bring Iggy here (I'd be willing to give up DD for him) then imo that would make the Raps an elite team.

I believe that this team is one solid wing player away from getting in top 5 in the East. I would love to see Iggy, Butler, or Howard in Raptor Uniform come Playoffs time. BC never rests, this guy is working hard on his Blackberry. If we somehow can keep Jose and trade Hedo instead. Lets face it we need a scoring/athletic player not a playmaker, Jack & Jose are doing great of job getting players involved and Amir, Weems, and DeMar benifited the most. If we add guy like Iggy, Butler, or Howard it won't take long for these players to get used to eachother. Plus DeMar will continue to develop as a started and will have a mentor that's going to challange him in practice.

I'll be shocked if he makes a significant deal, I'm guessing someone like Antoine Wright could be moved for a SG/three-point shooter. I'd be interested in Mike Miller, don't know how available he is.

Miller is very available. There isn't a player on that Washington roster that isn't available. I don't really want Miller though. He is a good player offensively, where he can do a bit of everything, and does it well. But on the defensive end he would be just another pylon. If we are acquiring a wing who will play major minutes, i'd prefer if he played good defense.

I hope Wright isn't the one to get moved. The last month he has played under control on the offensive end, and provided us with a very good perimeter defender. If he can continue to knock down the corner three, and bring the same defensive effort he showed in January, then I think he will be a very valuable player for us the rest of the way.

I am wondering if Amir will be traded. He has played solid for us this season, but is a free agent at the end of the year, and the Raps don't have a ton of money to offer him with Reggie still on the books. He would be a guy a lot of rebuilding teams could want. An expiring contract who is still only 22 years old. They get a close look at him for 30 games, and then can consider signing him to a long term deal in the off season.

Miller is very available. There isn't a player on that Washington roster that isn't available. I don't really want Miller though. He is a good player offensively, where he can do a bit of everything, and does it well. But on the defensive end he would be just another pylon. If we are acquiring a wing who will play major minutes, i'd prefer if he played good defense.

I hope Wright isn't the one to get moved. The last month he has played under control on the offensive end, and provided us with a very good perimeter defender. If he can continue to knock down the corner three, and bring the same defensive effort he showed in January, then I think he will be a very valuable player for us the rest of the way.

I am wondering if Amir will be traded. He has played solid for us this season, but is a free agent at the end of the year, and the Raps don't have a ton of money to offer him with Reggie still on the books. He would be a guy a lot of rebuilding teams could want. An expiring contract who is still only 22 years old. They get a close look at him for 30 games, and then can consider signing him to a long term deal in the off season.

Miller's defense isn't great but no matter who we acquire, I doubt our team defense will become worse. I'll still part with Wright, I think his defense is a little overrated and if it's his three-point shooting that you'll be missing, Miller is better. Wright's been decent last couple weeks but he's nothing to hang on to.

Doubt Johnson gets moved for the exact reasons you mentioned. He's cheap and does his job well, if you're thinking you want to create minutes for Reggie and want to sacrifice Amir in the process, I say let Reggie earn his minutes.

Miller's defense isn't great but no matter who we acquire, I doubt our team defense will become worse. I'll still part with Wright, I think his defense is a little overrated and if it's his three-point shooting that you'll be missing, Miller is better. Wright's been decent last couple weeks but he's nothing to hang on to.

Doubt Johnson gets moved for the exact reasons you mentioned. He's cheap and does his job well, if you're thinking you want to create minutes for Reggie and want to sacrifice Amir in the process, I say let Reggie earn his minutes.

Its not Wrights corner three ball that makes me want to keep him. Its his defense, the three ball is a bonus. Personally, I think his defense is under rated by most, as is his offensive game. Although Wright certainly doesn't under rate his own offensive game. I view him as a Bruce Bowen type, he isn't the defender that Bowen is, but he can defend both wing positions well, and on offense just stick him in the corner. I think he can be valuable to this team as the designated defender in the starting lineup. Allowing us to hide Hedo a bit.

I understand your position on Amir, but I think he is a guy who has some value on the market. And I don't want to loose him for nothing, especially when he may have limited value to this team when Evans comes back. It is of course risky, especially if Evans tries to come back, and it turns out something isn't quite right and he has to miss more time. Your position is completely logical, and there are many reasons to not trade Amir. But i think his value in the trade market, may be higher that his value to The Raps the rest of the season, if that makes sense.

Colangelo has just discovered how tough it is to get any media attention in Toronto.

Leafs make a big trade that will save them from being last overall this season. And I like the deal too!

Raptors go 4 games over .500, take 5th in the East, climbs to within 5 games of fourth, are winning almost every home game they play, and he tells any one who will listen - daily now - that he's looking to make a deal to contend and barely gets any TV face time, radio time, media coverage???

Toronto is all Burke 24/7 in the fight to get out of the basement. (Which hopefully they do)

I think the best move is stay patient. In the next couple days someone is going to make a big move and the flood gates are going to open.

I think there is a legitimate gray area regarding the definition of market value in this tumultuous economy. Once one team establishes that they are dumping stars for expiring contracts, I imagine it will create a domino like effect.

No gm wants to be the first one to publicly give up on thier team and be chastised ala Chris Wallace in Memphis with the Pau trade two years ago. Which in hindsight was actually a win win for the Lakers and Grizz.

The best thing Colangelo can do is bide his time and wait for the right offer. He already proved hes a master of working the system ala the Marion sign and trade.

I'm just wondering do we have any trade exemptions that we can use to take on salary without having to match or did we already use them all up in the previously mentioned Marion deal.

And then there’s Jose Calderon. Of all the pieces Colangelo has at his disposal, Calderon is the one who must be shopped around. Calderon might be the only player of consequence who has the potential to land Toronto that much-needed stud at the wing position. It’ll have to be a creative deal because Calderon alone won’t fetch the Raptors that one missing piece to get the club over the hump. Creativity is Colangelo’s calling card.

I would make a trade if possible to Dallas for Josh Howard cause I don't think we can get Butler unless BC can work some magic!

But the problem is that any trade with Dallas Jose would have to involve one of our wing players...& there is know way we should trade DeRozan or Beli & Wright cannot be traded to his old team unless he is waived so it only leaves Weems of whome I am very excited about he looks to be getting better as do all of our wings...

If we can trade Wright back to Dallas I'm for it but if not I'm not to sure.

Colangelo is going to make a splash you can book it, its has been his Modus operandi for the past 3 seasons and taking everything into account from what he has done in the past a picture emerges:

Is it more likely or unlikely that a trade is going to happen before the trade deadline: Answer: More likely

Is it more likey that a small trade is going to happen or a big one? Answer: more likely a big one

Is it more likely to be a young guy with an upside or an NBA veteran with his best years behind him? Answer: most likely An older known vet with his best years behind him due to age or injury

Is it more likely to be cheap to get him or is its going to be expensive to get him: Answer: Most likely if it is going to be a well known NBA vet, its going to be a package of younger players in order to match the high salary and to compensate. A future first or this year second draft pick might be also thrown into the mix.

Is the player more likely to be an American born player or not? Answer: Most likely not.

Will Raptors fans feel upset or excited? Answer: Many will feel that we gave too much and some will be upset but excited to see what can this non American born NBA vet can do.

I would be shocked if there would be a major deviation from this formula.